Israel-Hezbollah live updates: Lebanon braces for potential ground invasion

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres warned that “hell is breaking loose in Lebanon” as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, with exchanges of fire intensifying along the UN-patrolled border.

In a statement, Mr Guterres urged both sides to respect Lebanese sovereignty and called for Lebanon to have “full control of its weapons” throughout the country.

Nearly 200,000 Lebanese and over 60,000 northern Israelis have been displaced since Hezbollah began launching rockets across the border in support of Hamas in Gaza. Hundreds have been killed in the escalating conflict.

The communities on both sides “must be able to return to their homes and live in safety and security, without fear”, the secretary-general said.

“Civilians must be protected. Civilian infrastructure most not be targeted…To all sides, let us say in one clear voice: stop the killing and destruction. Tone down the rhetoric and threats. Step back from the brink,” he said.

Israel’s top general has indicated that the country is preparing for a possible ground invasion of Lebanon, as airstrikes targeting Hezbollah continue into a third day.

Israel’s chief of staff, Maj Gen Herzi Halevi told Israeli troops during a visit to the country’s north: “We are preparing the process of a manoeuvre, which means your military boots, your manoeuvring boots, will enter enemy territory, enter villages that Hezbollah has prepared as large military outposts, with underground infrastructure, staging points and launchpads into our territory [from which to] carry out attacks on Israeli civilians.”

Mr Halevi’s remarks come as the US increased pressure for a pause in the fighting, with Joe Biden warning of the urgent need to prevent an “all-out war” in the region.

“An all-out war is possible,” the US president told ABC, adding that he believed an opportunity also existed “to have a settlement that can fundamentally change the whole region”.

The US and France have called for a 21-day temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah to create space for broader negotiations and prevent a larger conflict. This follows a heavy three-day Israeli bombing campaign in Lebanon that has killed over 600 people.

The ceasefire proposal, endorsed by several global powers — like Australia, Canada, the European Union, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar — aims to allow civilians to return to their homes on the Israel-Lebanon border safely. It does not, however, apply to the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The joint statement issued by Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron said: “It is time for a settlement on the Israel-Lebanon border that ensures safety and security to enable civilians to return to their homes. The exchange of fire since October 7th, and in particular over the past two weeks, threatens a much broader conflict, and harm to civilians.”

The two leaders said they worked on a temporary ceasefire “to give diplomacy a chance to succeed and avoid further escalations across the border”.

The Israeli defence forces claim their strikes in Lebanon have wiped out intelligence-gathering tools, command centres and other infrastructure used by Hezbollah.

Haifa, a seaside city of nearly 300,000 people, has increasingly come into Hezbollah ‘s sights since fighting with Israel escalated this week – and residents are bracing for what many fear will be the worst round of violence since a war nearly two decades ago pounded the city with rockets:

The United States and France are trying to hammer out an interim accord to halt hostilities between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah with a view to opening broader diplomatic talks, Cyprus’ president, Nikos Christodoulides, has said.

“I don’t see that we can have a [broad] agreement but a form of interim agreement in order to avoid further escalation. This is the effort right now especially from the United States and France,” Mr Christodoulides told Reuters at the UN General Assembly in New York.

The Mediterranean island of Cyprus is the closest European Union member state, to Lebanon – about 160 miles away, and has been at the forefront of maritime aid efforts for Gaza.

Mr Christodoulides said: “During the last days there are a lot of deliberations to avoid further escalation, especially with Lebanon. There is a diplomatic initiative from the United States and France.”

Families fleeing Lebanon poured into Syria in growing numbers on Wednesday, waiting for hours i to reach the relative safety of another war-torn country:

Israeli officials said a heavy missile had headed towards civilian areas in Tel Aviv, not Mossad’s HQ, as Hezbollah had claimed, before being shot down.

Israel has expanded the zones in Lebanon that it had been striking since Tuesday night, with attacks for the first time on the beach resort of Jiyyeh, just south of Beirut.

As many as half a million people may have been displaced in Lebanon, its foreign minister said. In Beirut, thousands of people displaced from southern Lebanon were sheltering in schools and other buildings.

More than 60 people were forced to leave the Christian town of Alma Chaab, along the border, following strikes overnight.

“At least two houses were completely destroyed but thankfully they were empty and we had no deaths,” said Milad Eid, a resident.

Israeli authorities said the Galilee region of northern Israel was hit by heavy Hezbollah barrages on Wednesday morning.